@article{KleikersHooijmansGoebetal.2015,
  author    = {Kleikers, Pamela W. M. and Hooijmans, Carlijn and G{\"o}b, Eva and Langhauser, Friederike and Rewell, Sarah S. J. and Radermacher, Kim and Ritskes-Hoitinga, Merel and Howells, David W. and Kleinschnitz, Christoph and Schmidt, Harald H. H. W.},
  title     = {A combined pre-clinical meta-analysis and randomized confirmatory trial approach to improve data validity for therapeutic target validation},
  series = {Scientific Reports},
  volume    = {5},
  journal   = {Scientific Reports},
  number    = {13428},
  doi       = {10.1038/srep13428},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-151401},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Biomedical research suffers from a dramatically poor translational success. For example, in ischemic stroke, a condition with a high medical need, over a thousand experimental drug targets were unsuccessful. Here, we adopt methods from clinical research for a late-stage pre-clinical meta-analysis (MA) and randomized confirmatory trial (pRCT) approach. A profound body of literature suggests NOX\(_{2}\) to be a major therapeutic target in stroke. Systematic review and MA of all available NOX\(_{2}\)\(^{-/y}\) studies revealed a positive publication bias and lack of statistical power to detect a relevant reduction in infarct size. A fully powered multi-center pRCT rejects NOX\(_{2}\) as a target to improve neurofunctional outcomes or achieve a translationally relevant infarct size reduction. Thus stringent statistical thresholds, reporting negative data and a MA-pRCT approach can ensure biomedical data validity and overcome risks of bias.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{WagnerAshbyKurtzetal.2015,
  author    = {Wagner, Martin and Ashby, Damien R. and Kurtz, Caroline and Alam, Ahsan and Busbridge, Mark and Raff, Ulrike and Zimmermann, Josef and Heuschmann, Peter U. and Wanner, Christoph and Schramm, Lothar},
  title     = {Hepcidin-25 in diabetic chronic kidney disease is predictive for mortality and progression to end stage renal disease},
  series = {PLoS One},
  volume    = {10},
  journal   = {PLoS One},
  number    = {4},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0123072},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-125514},
  pages     = {e0123072},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Background Anemia is common and is associated with impaired clinical outcomes in diabetic chronic kidney disease (CKD). It may be explained by reduced erythropoietin (EPO) synthesis, but recent data suggest that EPO-resistance and diminished iron availability due to inflammation contribute significantly. In this cohort study, we evaluated the impact of hepcidin-25—the key hormone of iron-metabolism—on clinical outcomes in diabetic patients with CKD along with endogenous EPO levels. Methods 249 diabetic patients with CKD of any stage, excluding end-stage renal disease (ESRD), were enrolled (2003-2005), if they were not on EPO-stimulating agent and iron therapy. Hepcidin-25 levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. The association of hepcidin-25 at baseline with clinical variables was investigated using linear regression models. All-cause mortality and a composite endpoint of CKD progression (ESRD or doubling of serum creatinine) were analyzed by Cox proportional hazards models. Results Patients (age 67 yrs, 53\% male, GFR 51 ml/min, hemoglobin 131 g/L, EPO 13.5 U/L, hepcidin-25 62.0 ng/ml) were followed for a median time of 4.2 yrs. Forty-nine patients died (19.7\%) and forty (16.1\%) patients reached the composite endpoint. Elevated hepcidin levels were independently associated with higher ferritin-levels, lower EPO-levels and impaired kidney function (all p<0.05). Hepcidin was related to mortality, along with its interaction with EPO, older age, greater proteinuria and elevated CRP (all p<0.05). Hepcidin was also predictive for progression of CKD, aside from baseline GFR, proteinuria, low albumin- and hemoglobin-levels and a history of CVD (all p<0.05). Conclusions We found hepcidin-25 to be associated with EPO and impaired kidney function in diabetic CKD. Elevated hepcidin-25 and EPO-levels were independent predictors of mortality, while hepcidin-25 was also predictive for progression of CKD. Both hepcidin-25 and EPO may represent important prognostic factors of clinical outcome and have the potential to further define "high risk" populations in CKD.},
  language  = {en}
}